Introduction
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a plurilateral international agreement which wants to set a “gold standard” for the enforcement of intellectual property rights. The Agreement will have major implications for freedom of expression, access to culture and privacy. It will also harm international trade and stifle innovation.

Decision-time in the European Parliament

In February, the European Parliament will be formally given the dossier. It then plans to discuss the dossier with the International Trade Committee as the body in charge, with input from the Industry, Legal Affairs, Civil Liberties and Development Committees. The International Trade Committee will hold a hearing in March and the current plans are that the whole Parliament will vote on the dossier in May.

The ratification process of ACTA is also starting on a national level in the EU Member States.

EDRi’s analysis

Since many politicians and citizens are not yet aware of ACTA’s serious implications, EDRi has launched a “What’s Wrong with ACTA Week”. We have put together five one-page briefing documents which briefly summarise the most important issues: